U.S. and Germany to Collaborate on Homeland Security Tech

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and German Minister of Education and Research Annette Schaven signed an agreement today that will facilitate science and technology research collaboration in homeland/civil security matters between the two nations. The goal of the agreement will be to enhance security without limiting freedoms.

The text, negotiated between the DHS Office of Science and Technology and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), is similar to arrangements the U.S. already has in place with the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Singapore, Sweden, Mexico, Israel and France.

The agreement will tap into the collective technical talent and potential for innovation among government scientists from both countries, and calls for DHS and BMBF to identify concrete short-term projects and deliverables in addition to long-term research coordination and policy development.

Although prompted by DHS and BMBF, all U.S. government departments, agencies and components are eligible to participate in the agreement, which also allows for involvement by German and U.S. non-profit organizations and universities in any research programs established by the two countries. The text also provides for public-private partnerships and collaborative funding for science and technology research.

The first planned project is a joint workshop with experts in the field of visual analytics, to be held in Germany in June.